The prospect of of being involved with any aspect of illegal drugs is dangerous enough but some Arkansas River Valley drug dealers have found a way to take that danger one step further.

Russellville Police Department (RPD) Public Information Officer Drew Latch told The Courier methamphetamine dealers have used plastic soft-drink bottles to make the illegal drug in a dangerous manner.

“They can put all of the chemical ingredients into the bottle and drive around while the reactions, necessary to make meth, take place,” he said. “It’s called shake and bake, or the one-pot method.

“The contents of the bottle become extremely volatile as the chemicals synthesize into meth, The ingredients, one of them being acetone, begin to spark inside the bottle, as the mixture is shaken.”

An RPD officer attached to the 5th Judicial Drug Task Force said the new concoction is starting to be seen around the Russellville area.

He said officers might see shake and bake occasionally and explained the chemical brew can be dangerous. The drug task force officer recalled an incident where a suspected bottle was thrown from a vehicle and “it burst into flames in mid-air.”

Latch said this is dangerous in several ways. Not only does the event of making the drug this way pose a danger to the person making it, but there are other risks to the public that must be considered. After using the plastic bottles, they are still contaminated with highly toxic residues which can poison anyone who comes into contact with them.

“People must refrain from touching the container or breathing in the fumes,” Latch said.

“The gas and the liquid or solid substances can cause a chemical burn.”

Latch urged everyone to be aware and cautious when picking up soft-drink bottles that have been discarded.

These are commonly found on the road side, school grounds, or in some cases, in the front yard of someone’s home.

The plastic bottle will be discolored and have a distinct chemical odor.

RPD urges residents to avoid handling these bottles and, if they suspect it is a shake and bake bottle, call the Silent Partner Tip Line at (479) 967-2221, Latch said.